Well, I never imagined I would play a game where I got to shoot people in the face while running around butt-ass naked, bleeding out from razor-blade lacerations. So thanks Kane & Lynch 2, I can finally check that off my bucket list!
Kane & Lynch 2’s “trifecta” is brutality, grittiness and realism. That’s the game’s big push, its selling point. I think the whole “naked, razor-blade, shooting people” thing covers the brutality and grit in spades. But realism is another matter, entirely.
Basically, it’s nonexistent. Yes, the YouTube-esque, shaky camera, lens-flare heavy style does make Kane & Lynch 2 feel like you’re a part of the action, or, at the very least, chasing behind the psychotic duo, trying to capture all the excitement. But that’s about where “realism” ends and absurdity begins.
Over the course of Kane & Lynch 2 you’ll gun down hundreds (maybe thousands) of thugs, cops and cross-dressing gang members. You will essentially be responsible for the massacre of a small nation. That isn’t realism--especially when your only “body armor” is a stained wife-beater. It also, unfortunately, isn’t very fun because you’ll be doing the same thing over and over again. Run up to cover, shoot the guys shooting at you, inch forward, rinse and repeat.
Sadly, you can’t really see this as a problem when playing a short, 20-minute demo. But once you start the full game the problem is glaring. You’ve seen everything Kane & Lynch 2 has to offer within the first thirty minutes of playing. Sure, the story takes some interesting twists and turns--carried out by stellar voice work from the main cast--but after every cutscene you’re reminded that you’re playing a repetitive, generic third-person shooter. Straddling the line between addictive gameplay and engaging storytelling is a tricky balancing act that Kane & Lynch 2, unfortunately, never quite succeeds at.
There are also a decent number of strange gameplay quirks that further bog down Kane & Lynch 2. The cover system sometimes turns off, or doesn’t “stick.” This can be frustrating when you run up to cover and can’t actually use it. The A.I., both enemy and partner, is also really dumb. For example, Kane will run straight into the middle of firefights, guns blazing, instead of using cover. Then, to your displeasure, he’ll run straight at you with the enemies in tow, their guns blazing. Now you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. Only, this time, the rock is trying to shoot you in the head. Also, there are a lot of rocks.
Luckily, stupid A.I. isn’t a concern in multiplayer. And, for the most part, Kane & Lynch 2’s multiplayer is fun. The shooting mechanics aren’t as refined as titles like Modern Warfare 2, Halo, or Gears of War--they feel more like Red Dead Redemption--but they definitely aren’t broken. They merely suffice. The game modes are also something unique amongst online shooters. I wouldn’t label them a justification for the $60 price tag of the game, but you’ll probably find the most enjoyment in Kane & Lynch 2 from the game’s multiplayer. At the very least, multiplayer will extend the spin-life of the game, as it’s intended to do.
I was really excited to play Kane & Lynch 2. It was the style that hooked me. However, flash isn’t everything. Never judge a book by its cover, and all that. Listen, you can take a decent George Foreman grilled hamburger and dress it up to look like it came from a gourmet chef’s grill. But as soon as you bite into it, the ruse is over. That’s Kane & Lynch 2 in a food analogy nutshell.
